An 11-year-old boy has staged his own kidnapping in Alabama to cover his poor school grades, local police have confirmed.
The boy faked his kidnapping last Friday to avoid bringing home a bad report card, saying that a man with a pistol snatched him after he left Ed White Middle School.
The boy said the man forced him into a "beat-up car" and threatened to kill him.
The student said he escaped by jumping out of the car but wasn't able to grab his school bag, which contained the report card.
He ran to his grandparents' house and later confessed to lying. His grandfather called police to apologise.
A police spokesman said they were suspicious the boy was able to "escape" with his band instrument, but not his school bag. He said the boy faces no charges at this time.
AP